Here's what readers had to say about incessant robocalls, robotexts and scams
We asked readers to share their experiences and advice for coping. The most colorful comment came from Alan Mark of Watertown who advised: "I use a pocket-size air horn to send them away. It works…"
Thanks to everyone who sent a comment. Here they are:
No financial loss on this end, but yes frustration. I no longer answer any calls on my cell or landline; if it's important, caller must leave a message. That gives me pause because as a nonprofit founder, I receive calls from practitioners, researchers, industry connects, or patients in high anxiety. Why haven't the powers that be outlawed robocalls?
My husband likes to play with them, leading them on through extended untruthful conversation. I keep telling him that just adds his name to more lists as reachable. In my opinion, the national Do Not Call Registry list is far less than a functional system. This issue should be addressed by government restrictions. I don't care if it's state or federal, someone please fix this!
Sherrie Palm, Mukwonago
I have fun with telemarketers. Whatever they tell me they're selling, I tell them that is exactly what I do for a living. I tell them I'll buy their product if they buy mine. They hang up on me!
Jim Labradori, Oconomowoc
I never answer phone calls of numbers that I don't recognize. If it's someone, or something important they will leave a voicemail. Speaking of voicemail. If I get a call identified as "potential spam," I answer and hit mute. The automated dialer on the other end will hang-up after 5 to 30 seconds. This stops the automated caller from leaving an unwanted voicemail that I have to listen to and delete. I reply "stop" to unwanted texts and this seems to have lessened the amount that I receive.
David Mancl, West Allis
I recommend every person listen to the podcast :The Perfect Scam" by AARP. It has been available since about 2019. The episodes are about 30 minutes each and feature real people who have fallen prey to scams. They detail just about every kind of typical scam people encounter, from old school romance scams, to calls from loved ones who say they're in trouble, to phony computer issues, or bank/government notices, to the ones you mentioned with the phony house sales, etc. Most were phone or email during COVID-19 times, but as the years go by, they become more and more geared toward texts. also, AARP websites provide lots of info about the same.
They are very concerned with elder abuse and scams, which cause heartache and loss of entire savings. When my late husband was still alive, he got a call from a guy who said he had my (step) daughter in custody after an 'accident.' They demanded money to release her. I told him it was a scam, but he couldn't reach her on my phone, I talked him into going to the police department, and they reassured us it was a common scam. We finally got ahold of our stepdaughter. She had her phone off at work. The police told us to hang up whenever we get such a call, not to even be polite. Then call the person allegedly involved. People get rattled and do foolish things because the scammers are relentless. 'If only' is a phrase of regret from people who don't pause to take a breather. Anyone can get sucked into scams. AI is going to make it even harder to discern what is real.
Nancy Huber, New Berlin
I just no longer answer the telephone (both landline and cell) unless I recognize the number or the name. I let everything else go to message. If it's a legitimate call they will leave me a legitimate message. Text I just never respond too.
Perry Holzman, Two Rivers
Several years ago I subscribed to a service called RoboKiller. For less than $100 per year, it intercepts every call placed to my cell phone number. As a result, zero robocalls get through to me. Non-robo callers can leave a message. Once I call a number back, the caller gets through to me thereafter. And the people I call frequently get through when they call me. Being free from receiving robocalls has been liberating. As a 'Senior citizen' at 75, I'm in the group of people most targeted by scammers. It seems odd in 2025 that the cell phone companies and our federal government can't figure out a solution to this plague.
Peter Christianson, Pewaukee
My new phone system allows me to block the phone number being used by the caller. After using it for a "possible spam call" I realized I had blocked the number of some friends. So I deleted all blocked numbers and started over, listening to each call before blocking. In the past three weeks, I have received over 50 spam calls that I have blocked. This is ridiculous. Whatever happened to the no call list?
Leon E Burzynski, Waukesha
I also get many calls and and texts asking if I want to sell my home. They know my address, which is creepy. I started replying no, but I might want to buy your home and ask them for their address. This usually results in stunned silence and ends the conversation rather quickly.
Steve Stein, Oak Creek
Replying STOP does not do any good because I feel most of the callers (robo or not) get their information from a third party and the third party does not get the STOP message. It's time laws are passed to more severely penalize those who call numbers on the do not call lists. It also seems to me that with all the great technology this country has, it could be used to block calls that emanate from the same general source, that's not a verifiable source. Lastly, it's time for do not call lists apply to political action calls.
Joseph Streator, Oconomowoc
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Readers share how they cope with flood of scam calls | Letters
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